Frequency, Characteristics and Importance of the Cervical Venous Hum in Adults

Abstract

THE presence of a continuous murmur heard in the anterior neck owing to blood flowing in the jugular veins has been well recognized for more than a hundred years.¹ Most textbooks on cardiology^{2 3 4 5} mention the venous hum and its association with a variety of pathophysiologic states. All are vague, however, about the frequency of this finding in adult patients.The objectives of this study were to ascertain the frequency and characteristics of the cervical venous hum in patients outside the pediatric age group and to determine possible correlation of the murmur with age, sex, body habitus, hypertension and underlying disease. . . .